House members differ on how to discipline absentees

A lawmaker wants his colleagues in Congress to be slapped with drastic sanctions and even expelled if they keep on skipping plenary sessions as the House of Representatives continues to be plagued with quorum woes.

But another legislator believes it will be difficult to enforce the House’s own rules since its members are equals, with Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. considered only as “primus inter pares” or first among equals.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga asked the House leadership to craft new rules to address the worsening absenteeism of lawmakers as the progress of passing laws has been affected whenever the chamber fails to muster a quorum.

“Drastic circumstances demand drastic action. Under the Constitution, we have the power to discipline our members— enforce reprimand, suspension, and even expulsion. Kung hindi talaga magi-improve ang quorum, I think the Committee on Rules should enact rules and regulations dealing squarely with the issue on absenteeism in the House and impose the corresponding penalty, including expulsion, if necessary,” he said in a press briefing.

While admitting that the House doesn’t have rules to discipline perennially absent lawmakers, Barzaga said the chamber is authorized to promulgate its own rules.

According to Section 76 of the Rules of the House on the Absence of Quorum, lawmakers present “may compel the attendance of absent Members” in the absence of a quorum after the roll call.

"In all calls of the House, the doors shall be closed. Except those who are excused from attendance in accordance with Section 71 hereof, the absent Members, by order of a majority of those present, shall be sent for and arrested wherever they may be found and conducted to the session hall in custody in order to secure their attendance at the session. The order shall be executed by the Sergeant-at-Arms and by such officers as the Speaker may designate. After the presence of the Members arrested is secured at the session hall, the Speaker shall determine the conditions for their discharge. Members who voluntarily appear shall be admitted immediately to the session hall and shall report to the Secretary General to have their presence recorded,” the provision read.

The House has only mustered a quorum three times since the third and regular session started on July 27. House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said last week he has enlisted the help of leaders of the various political parties comprising the majority coalition to ensure a quorum will be declared in the coming session days.

But while House rules authorize the Speaker to order the arrest of his colleagues to constitute a quorum, CIBAC party-list Rep.Sherwin Tugna admitted it will be difficult to enforce because Belmonte is technically considered only a lawmaker.

“Ang mga miyembro ng Kongreso, parang sa Supreme Court na bagamat may Chief Justice, pero siya lang ay ‘primus inter pares’ o prime lang sa kanyang mga kasama. Bagamat si Speaker ay Speaker, pare-parehas lang kaming may iisang boto sa issues at panukalang batas. Kaya nga ang mas magandang gamitin na salita [para makumbinsi ang mga mambabatas na pumasok] ay moral suasion imbis na compulsion,” he said.

Tugna, a Deputy Majority Leader and a member of Committee on Rules, said Barzaga's proposal might be difficult to act on since the 16th Congress has only 10 months left.

"Dadaan pa sa technical working group 'yung ganoong proposal. It might be possible to have this [new rule] in the 17th Congress, not now," he said.

Since last week, Belmonte has authorized the release of the list of lawmakers who responded to the roll call. However, the document has only been released to the media once.

Tugna believes the Speaker has been “doing his best” to ensure a quorum is met each session day, with his office reminding lawmakers to show up at the plenary hall even on weekends.

Nevertheless, the party-list lawmaker admitted that some of his colleagues are more inclined to prioritize their political plans than doing their duties in the House.

"Kung 'yung mga government workers, kailangang pumasok, what more kaming nasa Congress na mas malaki ang sinusweldo kaysa sa isang regular employee so mas malaki ang expectation sa amin ng taumbayan. Isang aspect ng representation ay kailangang alam mo ang nangyayari sa Kongreso at para malaman 'yun, kailangang physically present [ang mga mambabatas]," Tugna said. -NB, GMA News